Rick Adelman - RIP

[BitterYoungMatador2]

Hall of Fame Head coach of those early 1990s Trail Blazers teams that I fell in love with. Came in after Mike Schuler pissed off half the roster and won 59 games and the western conference a year later. Went on to continued success with Sacramento a few years later. If he only could have found a way to use Drazen Petrovic.

Rick Adelman, longtime NBA coach and Hall of Famer, dies at 79

 

[ChrisLong]

He went to Loyola University before it was Loyola Marymount University.

 

[No Phonies]

A great coach and an even better guy

 

[Dog8Cats]

I recall reading something at least 20 years ago by one of the very well-embedded Blazers beat writers for The Oregonian about Adelman. The gist was that, before his first full season as head coach, his "OK, gather 'round, here's my start-of-the-season speech" to the players was beyond moving, inspiring and motivating.

Something must have clicked, as they made the finals.

Wish I could hear what he said.

 

[BitterYoungMatador2]

The thing I remember about Adelman in Portland was that he was always in a gray suit. It seemed like he owned one outfit in his first two years in Portland. After reading his book, Long Hot Winter, about the 1990-91 season, I think he was concerned about having the job long term. He went to the NBA Finals in 1990, had the best record in 1991 and went into the 91-92 season without a new contract.